The present invention relates to a lamp assembly for an automotive vehicle and, more particularly, to an attachment arrangement for the lamp assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,577, issued July 30, 1985 to Sheldon, discloses an "Adjustable Seating Arrangement For A Tail Lamp Assembly" wherein a tail lamp means is attached to a rear panel on the vehicle by a jack screw interfitting three specially configured, vertically separated, spring clips, the tail lamp assembly being assembled beneath stops extending rearwardly from the rear panel. Downward advancement of the jack screw causes the tail lamp assembly to be moved forwardly and vertically upward against the stops to seat same so that adjacent ends of the tail lamp lenses are flush with each other and such that other lenses of the assembly are in alignment with adjacent body structure of the vehicle. Positioning and vertically aligning the separate clips so that they stay in one place during mounting of a wide tail lamp assembly could be a problem. Further, to manufacture and maintain an inventory of different clips is expensive.
While the Sheldon apparatus is possibly suitable for its intended purposes there is always a need for improvements which are less expensive to assemble and manufacture while still providing an aesthetic cover overlying the top of the vehicle housing such that the fastening arrangements are hidden from sight.
The present invention is directed to a novel construction and arrangement of parts, enabling rapid and efficient mounting of a tail lamp assembly. One object is reduction of unnecessary parts without loss of function. An advantage of a one-piece spring clip herein is enhancement of the user being able to rapidly vertically position a jack screw for drawing the lamp assembly forwardly towards the vehicle panel. Further objects, novel characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates and from which the following detailed description of the illustrated, preferred embodiment thereof made with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar reference numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which: